Makerere University students are packing up their belongings as they ready themselves to leave the Ivory tower after president Yoweri Museveni issued a directive to have it closed immediately.
In a letter dated 1st November 2016, the president used his constitutional powers under section 26(2) of the universities and other institutions Act 2001 as amended to close Makerere University with immediate effect until further notice.
This he said was to guarantee safety of persons and property. The decision followed unending strikes at the Ivory tower by both teaching staff under MUASA and students.
On Tuesday last week, lecturers laid down their tools demanding payment of their incentives for the last six months. On Friday, the university council sat and decided there was not enough money to pay the lecturers. This angered them more, as they sat on Monday this week and decided not to stop their sit down strike.
Government has since promised to pay them incentives for one month, but they still wouldn’t take the offer.
Yesterday morning, students who had not been taught since the lecturers’ strike begun also went on strike demanding that their rights be respected as they have paid tuition and need to receive an education.
The strike turned violent yesterday afternoon and police made arrests of some student strike leaders, used water cannons to disperse the rowdy students, forcing the president to close the university until all issues have been resolved.
50 students were arrested as of yesterday evening.
This morning, students at different hall of residence were seen packing up their belongings and leaving, while police deployed heavily at the main gate checking all entrants. For one to access the troubled institution, they have to provide Identification cards.
